Ultra Runners

Riddle blog on Ice Age win ... and salt quote (Read 61 times)

Why do you continue to run these stupid races? This isn't fun. You don't have to do this to yourself. I battled my own demons from miles 32 to 36. I had been running too fast. I had been neglecting my nutrition. My quads were on the verge of cramping. I had been listening to those scientists who say salt doesn't help cramps and had not been concerned about my salt intake. Luckily, I had put a few S-Caps in my Salomon fuel belt as an afterthought. That probably saved my race. If my own experience wasn't enough, Meghan Arbogast and Jeff Browning set me straight at dinner that evening...we don't know why salt works, it just does.

The salt and a steady stream of Coke pulled me out of my funk eventually.

Retired 1/1/13 ... Tired of being broken and fat ... Hit 296# Memorial Day 2016 - New goal = To be able to enjoy running 4-5 hours through the woods again by Fall 2016. April 2017

Why do you continue to run these stupid races? This isn't fun. You don't have to do this to yourself. I battled my own demons from miles 32 to 36. I had been running too fast. I had been neglecting my nutrition. My quads were on the verge of cramping. I had been listening to those scientists who say salt doesn't help cramps and had not been concerned about my salt intake. Luckily, I had put a few S-Caps in my Salomon fuel belt as an afterthought. That probably saved my race. If my own experience wasn't enough, Meghan Arbogast and Jeff Browning set me straight at dinner that evening...we don't know why salt works, it just does.

The salt and a steady stream of Coke pulled me out of my funk eventually.

Going into Ice Age I was planning on trying the no salt strategy as well. I didn't bring any heed in my hand held and did not pop any s-caps. Well at least until I started to get a headache around mile 23. For what ever reason I've always found if I get a headache after a long run salt pretty much makes it go away ahead of time. For me it comes down to, salt doesn't hurt your performance and even if it is placebo, if it helps do it.

I'm still fixated on his comment about Ice Age being flat. In his response to someone's comments he calls strolling Jim a hilly race - but I looked up the elevation gain on it and it is 1300 feet elevation gain over 40 miles. I don't get it.

DoppleBock

posted: 5/17/2013 at 8:20 AM

Ice Age is a montrail cup race ~ By flat he may also mean low elevation ... or not huge mountain climbs. I believe what he really means is it is similar to the terrain he gets to train on all the time. Run Rabbit or Western States is not similar.

Going into Ice Age I was planning on trying the no salt strategy as well. I didn't bring any heed in my hand held and did not pop any s-caps. Well at least until I started to get a headache around mile 23. For what ever reason I've always found if I get a headache after a long run salt pretty much makes it go away ahead of time. For me it comes down to, salt doesn't hurt your performance and even if it is placebo, if it helps do it.

I'm still fixated on his comment about Ice Age being flat. In his response to someone's comments he calls strolling Jim a hilly race - but I looked up the elevation gain on it and it is 1300 feet elevation gain over 40 miles. I don't get it.

Retired 1/1/13 ... Tired of being broken and fat ... Hit 296# Memorial Day 2016 - New goal = To be able to enjoy running 4-5 hours through the woods again by Fall 2016. April 2017

Going into Ice Age I was planning on trying the no salt strategy as well. I didn't bring any heed in my hand held and did not pop any s-caps. Well at least until I started to get a headache around mile 23. For what ever reason I've always found if I get a headache after a long run salt pretty much makes it go away ahead of time. For me it comes down to, salt doesn't hurt your performance and even if it is placebo, if it helps do it.

I'm still fixated on his comment about Ice Age being flat. In his response to someone's comments he calls strolling Jim a hilly race - but I looked up the elevation gain on it and it is 1300 feet elevation gain over 40 miles. I don't get it.

I had a good laugh about the Ice Age being flat comment as well. It may be a fairly fast course, but I wouldn't call it flat.

One thing I've noticed is that I am drinking the same but urinating more often. I feel better, too. Wondering if I was not getting enough salt before and somehow the salt helps to get the fluid out of the intestines and into bloodstream versus having bowel issues later on in races. Haven't done more than 6-7 hours with salt but certainly feels better so far.

DoppleBock

posted: 5/29/2013 at 4:36 PM

Interesting you say that - The experienced ultra runners will tell you to take a couple of s-caps at once if you have a sloshy stomache.

Even if it is psycological - I have seen many 24 hour stumbling Zombie revive after taking salt. These have been the ones that are taking no salt on a hot day and drinking plenty of fluids.

Retired 1/1/13 ... Tired of being broken and fat ... Hit 296# Memorial Day 2016 - New goal = To be able to enjoy running 4-5 hours through the woods again by Fall 2016. April 2017